1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to garment hangers and more particularly pertains to a crease keeper which may be employed to maintain a crease and wrinkle free disposition of trousers disposed thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of garment hangers is known in the prior art. More specifically, garment hangers heretofore devised and utilized for hanging trousers and mitigating the formation of creases therein are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
The present invention is directed to improving devices for a crease keeper in a manner which is safe, secure, economical and aesthetically pleasing.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,040 to Hazenveld discloses a trouser hanger comprising a tensioning member having two opposing tensioning arms which apply tensile force in continuum to the waistband of trousers hanging thereon. The Hazenveld invention has no provision for maintaining a crease in trousers by application of crease maintenance forces along the entire leg portion of the trouser. The present invention comprises a framework which applies substantially uniplanar multidirectional tensile force in trousers along each entire leg lengths and furthermore provides for hanging the garments so held.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,959 to Gordon a device for retaining trouser-legs in position while being machine ironed is disclosed. The Gordon invention comprises a pair of spring loaded overlapping thin plates which transmit ironing force from ironing cushions of an ironing machine to trouser legs. The Gordon invention is employed for disposition of trousers during machine ironing and is not generally intended for storage or non-iron induced crease depletion. The present invention comprises a framework which acts as a trouser hanger and crease remover wherein trousers so hung are maintained crease free until use.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,498 to Blanchard a telescopic garment hanger is described. The Blanchard invention comprises a garment hanger for hanging garments from a waistband. The present invention hangs trouserlike garments by disposition of expanding frameworks within the legs thereof and thereby stretchedly removes wrinkles and creases in the fabric thereof.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,260 to Toy a garment display rack is disclosed for displaying a trouser pair in a selected position. The Toy invention comprises a pair of leg frame members in a side by side spaced relationship wherein each leg frame member comprises a plurality of pairs of elongated elements. A disadvantage in this prior art lies in a variety of positions available for the trouser legs some of which will produce fabric wrinkles or multiple creases therein and many positions are suited solely for marketing purposes. The present invention employs a trouser leg disposed singular pair of elongated elements precluding positioning the leg portions in a variety of dispositions and furthermore is devised to maintain the trouser leg portions free of wrinkles while emphasizing a preferred crease thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,839 to Vandoros discloses a garment stretcher. The disclosure teaches an apparatus and method for stretching a localized area of a garment employing a pair of pads and screws which are operated to forcibly expand against garment restoring forces. The disclosure makes no provision for stretchably straightening a large area of a garment such as a trouser leg pair. Furthermore, there are no provisions for maintaining a crease in trouser legs. The present invention comprises an expandable framework and hanger maintaining a crease in trouser legs and smoothing wrinkled areas by slight stretching applied in continuum.
In this respect, the crease keeper according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of maintaining a crease in trousers and reducing wrinkling thereto as introduced by ordinary and extraordinary wear and storage.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved crease keeper which can be employed to maintain a crease in trousers and remove wrinkles thereto. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to improve trouser hangers and trouser pressing devices. No prior effort, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.